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September 9, 2008

G144: Rays 5, Red Sox 4

Jason Bay's two-run home run to left in the eighth gave the Red Sox a 4-3 lead and it looked like Boston would move into first place in the East once Jonathan Papelbon disposed of the Rays in the ninth.

But leadoff hitter (and pinch-hitter) Dan Johnson cranked a 3-2 pitch over the Red Sox bullpen in right-center for a game-tying home run. Then, with one out, Fernando Perez doubled high off the Monster and Dioner Navarro doubled into the left field corner to give Tampa Bay a 5-4 lead. (Where's Bot's splitter?)

In the home half of the ninth, Troy Percival walked Mark Kotsay. Jason Varitek tried in vain to bunt, and was then frozen on a nasty 1-2 curveball for the first out. Percival fell behind David Ortiz 3-1 -- was he pitching around him? -- before Flo flew out to right field. Terry Francona then sent Jacoby Ellsbury in to pinch-run for Kotsay at first. Why didn't Tito do this as soon as Kotsay walked? With no outs or two outs, Ellsbury was the potential tying run -- and giving him an opportunity to run with Varitek and Ortiz at the plate would have been wise.

With Coco Crisp at the plate and two outs, Lyndon did run -- stealing second easily and going to third when Navarro's throw short-hopped into center field. Alas, Crisp ended the game by popping out to second base.

The Twins beat the Royals 7-2 to move 6 GB the Red Sox in the wild card. The Blue Jays swept a day-night doubleheader from the White Sox 3-1 and 8-2.

With Toronto 7 GB Boston in the wild card race with 18 games to play, the Canadian sports media will insist that the Jays, with seven games remaining against the Red Sox, have a decent shot at the post-season. It's sad to see such rampant delusion go untreated -- in a country with universal health care, no less.

The Red Sox have won 10 of their last 13 games and a win tonight could put them into first place for the first time since the All-Star Game. The three-day break was the only time Boston has been atop the AL East since June 28.

Coco Crisp has had six consecutive multi-hit games, during which time he has batted .682 (15-for-22), with a .720 OBP. In his last 13 starts, Crisp is hitting .531 (26-for-49).

At the same time, Jacoby Ellsbury continues to slump -- .232/.305/.305 since August 10, and a .327 OBP and .690 OPS for the season. Lyndon's OPS+ this season (79) is roughly the same as Jason Varitek's (78) and Julio Lugo's (80).

In his two starts against Boston this season (May 4 and July 2), Kazmir has pitched a total of nine innings: 13 hits, seven walks and eight runs.

Everyone keeps saying the Red Sox will be in first place if they win tonight's game, etc etc. But, they have to win tomorrow night's game as well to keep it. What people should be saying is, if they win tonight, they'll be in the lead now and will have the chance to keep the lead when Tampa leaves town.

Everyone keeps saying the Red Sox will be in first place if they win tonight's game, etc etc. But, they have to win tomorrow night's game as well to keep it. What people should be saying is, if they win tonight, they'll be in the lead now and will have the chance to keep the lead when Tampa leaves town.

ish said... Everyone keeps saying the Red Sox will be in first place if they win tonight's game, etc etc. But, they have to win tomorrow night's game as well to keep it. What people should be saying is, if they win tonight, they'll be in the lead now and will have the chance to keep the lead when Tampa leaves town.

First of all if they win they will be in first place, and have a lot better chance to win division then they did a week ago....It's over , The magical mystery tour of the rays is ending, they are just lucky the the Yankees decided to quit and fold up shop..Because they look terrible, just terrible.....Listen they can go out and win tonight , thats fine, but they will not win this division.......

lookout the kid, pedroia can hitGod knows he canAnd he's doin it againYou better duck down the canvas alley wayLookin for PapelbonThe man in the bud-box capIn the bullpenWants eleven world series ringsBut fingers, he's only got ten

Jacoby come, fleet-footJersey full of black sootSwingin' at the heat putBy Kazmir over the plate butThe runner's gone anywayDeMarlo says that many sayThey must win in early MayAnd even with Jason Bay...

Get sick, is he wellManny yakkin' on his cellGates up, fans inAll the tix are gonna sellHit hard, go yardMichael Kay is such a 'tardYook shake, sweat sailJoin the Yanks if you wanna failLook out TekYour marriage's a wreckSideline, WatneyBlond hair, comely ...

I know a couple of people that have gone out to Nebraska and had a lunch at his house, one of them actually has a picture of him and Warren, with this person holding his wallet. Apparently the home is very humble, nothing extravagant at all.

Now that I've heard him talk for a bit, I see it. Seems like a swell mutha.

Sometimes when I watch DiceK, I think back to all the hype when he was signed by the Sox. This was not the kind of pitcher I imagined from all that hype. Not that he doesn't win games and get out of messes, but he sure makes a LOT of messes.

rays annc were talking about the delay making kazmir cold and ineffective -- i swear they were laying the groundwork for when pedoria blasted one -- they were all set to blame the delay -- and those fuckfaces would not have stopped complaining about the ump's delay (he's prob a sox fan) until at least 2014.

oh fuck yeah, they suck. i only heard them the one game (zaun walkoff) and couldn't stomach it after a couple of innings. disgusting. the fact that they were insulting the Toronto fans even. yeah i realize the jays fans suck, but still, they were just doing it to be fucking assholes.